Rotary internal combustion engine



Jan. 27, 1942. E. J. SERPAS ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. 27, 1937 lnventor dttornegs.

Jan. 27, 1942. s RP s 2,271,404

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed Aug. 27, 193? 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 @N m ax m R v m. km .& Q Q o NQN N um E Q Q mm Q Q M 3 Q R la N N w aw w WQ B Z'rziesf (I fer ms- Jan; 27, 1942. E. J; SERPAS RQTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Aug. 27,1937

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ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed Aug. 27 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3nventor J Win06? $50279 8B wa -MW Patented Jan. 27, 1942 ROTARY INTERNAL 161,190. Divided and this application 27, 1940, Serial No. 326,293

Claims.

This invention relates to rotary internal combustion engines, and is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 161,190, filed August 2'1, 1937, for Rotary liquid fuel injecting internal combustion engine. 1

An object of this invention is to provide in a rotary internal combustion engine of the compression firing type, an improved means for 'injecting liquid fuel into the combustion chambers.

Another object of this invention is to provide in an internal combustion engine of the two-cycle type an adjustable fuel injecting means which is mechanically operable by rotation of the engine to inject the desired quantity of liquid fuel into the engine to thereby regulate the speed of the engine. I

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved means for admitting air into the combustion chambers, the incoming air assisting in the scavenging of the exhaust gases.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved fuel injecting means for' an engine of this type including pairs of injecting members and manually adjustable operating means therefor for regulating the quantity of fuel injected by said members.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the'invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will bemore particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to COMBUSTlON ENGINE Ernest J. Serpas, New Orleans. La., assignor of I two-fifths to J. S. Waterman, New Orleans; La.

Original application August 27, 1937, Serial No.

oneend of a crankshaft I2 engages. The crankshaft I2 is provided with a' longitudinal keyway I4, and the bearing or boss I3 is also provided with a complementary'ke'yway I5 in which a key I6 engages so as to hold the crankshaft I2 against rotation relative to the boss or bearing I3.

The crankshaft I2 is provided with an offset or I crank I1 and with a relatively short extension I8 which is coaxial with the shaft I2. A'rotary driving casing generally designated as I9 engages about the shaft'IZ' andlthe extension I8, and

encloses the olfset crank II, asshow'n in Figurel. The driving'casing I9 comprises an outer driving head and an inner driving head 2| which are fixedly secured together by means of fastening devices 22. The fastening devices 22 engage through flanges 23 and, 24 carried by the heads 20 and 2|, respectively.

The driving'head 20 is formed with a discshaped wall 25 having a hub or hearing 26 at the center thereof which is concentric to the stub like or corresponding parts throughout the Figure 2 is 'a horizontal sectional view taken on the lines 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the engine with the driving head removed.

Figure 4 is a sectional view 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the injector operator and regulator.

Figurefi is a perspective view of one of the fuel injectors. V

Figure? is a perspective view of the adjusting key for the injector operator and regulator.

Figure 8 is a perspective view'of the key adjusting rod.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I9 designates a base structure provided with a standard or supporting leg II rising therefrom.

taken on the line shaft I8. An end wall 21 is formed integral with the hub 26,'Iand this wall 21 is providedwith a central opening 28, the purpose for which will be hereinafter described.

' A lubricant reservoir, generally designated as 29 is carried by the end wall 25 of the head 20, andcomprises a cylindrical wall 30 which is integral with the wall 25' and a disc-shaped end wall 3 I. A driving shaft 32 is carried by the end wall 3|, the shaft 32 being provided with an annular flange'33 and an outwardly offset flange 34 which is detachably secured to the end wall 3| by fastening-devices 35. Preferably the flange 33 engages in an opening 36 formed in the end Wall 3| so that the driving shaft 32 will be held concentrically of the 1 reservoir 29 and coaxial with the shafts=l2 and I8.

The driving shaft 32'is provided with a pair of ports 31 which are formed inbosses 38 integral With'the shaft 32, and the ports 3'! may be closed by means of threaded plugs 39. The ports 31 communicatewith an axialchamber 40 formed in the inner end of the shaft 32, and the chamber 40 communicates with the interior of the reservoir 29 so that this reservoir may be readily filled with a lubricant. The lubricant in the reservoir 29 ispicked up by means of a tubular member 4| which is provided with a cut-out 42 at its outer or upper end, and the tubular member 4| is fixed toa hub 43 which is keyed or otherwise fixed to a reduced stub 44. carried'by the shaft I8. The shaft I8 and the stub 44 are provided with an axial oil duct- 45 which at one end communicates with a lateral passage 46. The passage 46 communicates with the inner end of the tubular member 4I so that the oil picked up by the tubular member M will gravitatingly flow downwardly therethrough, through the passage 46 and into the duct 45.

The periphery of the offset I1 is lubricated by means of a V-shaped duct 41 which has the apex thereof terminating at the periphery of the offset I1 and one divergent side thereof communicating with the inner end of the duct 45. The opposite divergent side of the duct 41 communicates with an axial duct 48 formed in the adjacent end of the shaft I2. A lateral passage 49 is formed in the shaft I2, one end of the passage 49 communicating with the duct 48, and the other end of the passage 49 communicating with the periphery of the shaft I2.

The casing I9 is provided with an annular piston cylinder 50 having one part formed with the head 20, and a complementary part 52 formed with the head 2 I. Pairs of longitudinally arcuate pistons 53 and 54 are slidable in the cylinder 50, and these pistons are formed with recessed portions 55 and 56, respectively, in their confronting ends which form part of a combustion chamber when the pistons are moved toward each other.

A pair of piston carrying arms 51 and 58 extend diametrically of the casing I9, and these arms are provided at their centers with cylindrical hubs 59 and 60, respectively, which rotatably engage .the shaft members I9 and I2, respectively. The arm 51 is provided at each end thereof with an L-shaped connecting rod BI through which a wrist pin 62 engages, the pin 62 engaging through the piston 53. The arm or carrier 58 is also provided at the'opposite ends thereof with an L-shaped connecting rod or member 63, and a wrist pin 64 engages through one leg of' the connecting member 63 and also through the piston 54. The connecting rods or members SI and 63 extend through elongated openings 65 and 66 formed in the casing I9 which communicate with the cylinder 50 and with the interior of the casing I9.

Rotary movement of the casing I9 is effected by means of a cross head 61 which is carried by one end of a connecting rod 68, the opposite end of the rod 68 being mounted on the offset crank I1. The heads and 2I are provided with ra-' dial cross head guides 69 and 10, respectively, and the cross head 61 has rotatably mounted on the opposite ends thereof a-pair of rollers H and 12 which engage in the guides 69 and-10, respectively. The rocking movement of the piston carriers 51 and 58 is communicated tothe cross head 61 by means of a pair of links 13 and 14, each of which has one end thereof pivotally mounted on the cross head 61, and the link 13 is disposed on the side of the connecting rod 68 opposite from the link 14. The other end of link 13 is pivotally mounted on a pin 15 engaging thepiston carrier 51, and the other end of link 14 is pivotally mounted on a pin 16 engaging the piston carrier 58. f

The cylinder 1-50 is provided with a plurality of 'circum-ferentially spaced apart intake ports 11, and a valve structure generally designated as 18 engages within the intake port 11. The valve structure '18 comprises a tubular member 19 which is threaded through the wall 80 of the inner head 2I, and is also disposed in the cylindricalwall 8I'of the head'Z I. The tubular member 19 is provided with a constricted intermediate portion 82 which is preferably disposed within the cylinder 50, the inner side of the constricted portion 82 forming a valve seat upon which a valve head 83 is adapted to engage. The valve head 83 is carried by a valve stem 84 slidable through the constricted portion 82, and a spring 85 engages about the stem 84 and constantly urges the valve head 83 against the seat. The inner end portion 86 of the tubular member 19 is provided with an axial plug 81, and also with a lateral discharge port 88 discharging into and at the innermost part of the firing chamber 50 and directed away from the axis of the engine in order that the centrifugal force acts to throw off the fuel oil from the mouth of the discharge port 88 and to sweep it through the compressed air in the firing chamber. The outer end of the tubular member is also closed by means of a threaded plug 89.

The end wall 80 is provided with a radial duct or passage 99 for each valve structure 18, the tubular member 19 being provided with a lateral passage 9I communicating with the outer end of the duct 90. The end wall 80 is provided with an annular flange 92, and a fuel injector cylinder 93 is threaded into this flange 92 and communicates at its inner end with the duct 90. The cylinder 93 is provided with a fuel intake port 94 inwardly of its outer end, and a fuel injecting piston 95 is slidable in the cylinder 93. The piston 95 is formed with a fuel receiving chamber or recess 96 which opens through the inner end of the piston 95' and through the periphery thereof. The recess 95 is adapted to partially register with the intake port 94 in one position of the piston and to be subsequently moved inwardly and out of register with the intake port .94, as will be hereinafter described.

Each piston 95 has fixed to' the outer end theerof a head or annular plate 91, and an expanding spring 98 engages about the exterior of the cylinder 93, one end of the spring 98 bearing against the flange 92 and the opposite end thereof bearing against the head or plate 91. The plate 91 isprovided with a key 99 which is adapted to slidably engage in a keyway I00 formed on the inner surface of a cylindrical body IOI which is carried by the flange 92 and projects outward- 1y or rearwardly thereof. The key 99 holds the plate 91 againstrotation and thus holds the piston 95 against rotation so that the recess 96 may register with the intake port 94 when the piston 95 is in a fuel receiving position.

The cylindrical body IOI forms a fuel chamber I02 in which liquid fuel is discharged under pressure, the fuel entering the chamber I02 through a discharge passage I03 formed in the shaft I2. The discharge passage I03 communicates with an axial passage or bore I04, and a fuel pipe I05 is connected with the outer end of the passage I04 by means of a connector I06. The opposite end of the fuelfpipe I05'is connected to a pump housing I01 having an intake pipe I08. The pump structure disposed in the pump housing I01 is a conventional pump structure, the details of which are well known and therefore it is not deemed necessary to describe such structure.

The fuel chamber IOI is provided with a head I09 which is threaded onto the body WI, and the head I09 is provided with an annular groove H0 in which a sealing ring III engages. The ring III engages in the interior of a cylindrical flange II2 which is carried by the standard II, and a second cylindrical flange] I3 is carried by the flange I I2, being connected thereto by means of an annular flange I'M. A cylindrical member I I is fixed to' the end wall 80 and has a portion thereof engaging within the cylindrical member H3. The cylindrical member H5 is provided with an annular groove I IS in whicha sealing ring IlI engages, the ring III engaging the'interior of the cylindrical member H3. The cylindrical member I I5 is rotatable with the head 80 and rotates within the cylindrical member II3, the latter member being stationary.

An injector operating member, generally designated as-II8 is loosely mounted onthe shaft I2 within the fuel chamber I 92, and this operating member H8 comprises a plate H9 formed with a hub or bushing I29. .The plate'I'I9 is provided on its inner face withan outer series of cam lobes I2I and an inner series of cam lobes I2Ia. The cam lobes I2I confront, cam engaging pins I22 which are carried by the plates 91, and the cam lobes I2Ia confront camengaging pins I 22a carriedby plates 91a which are diametrically opposed to the plates 91. The plates 91a are carried by pistons 95awhich are similar in every detail to the pistons 95.

The injector operating member H9 is adjusted lengthwise of the shaft I2 by means of a key: I23 which is carriedby a slide I24 slidable in aguide recess I25 formed in the shaft I2. A keeper I26 is fixed to the plate H9 and engages oneend of the key I23 and holds-the key I23 against movement relative to the plate H9. An operating or adjusting rod I 21 is slidable in a longitudinal opening I29 formed in the shaft I2, one end of the rod I2"! being threaded into the slide I24, and the other end of the rod being-formed with an eye I29. An adjusting lever I39 is pivotally mounted on a pivot I3I carried by an ear I32 which is fixed.

to the bearing I3, and one end of the lever I39 is connected to the rod I2'I by means of a pin or pivot I32 which engages through the eye I33.

A thrust bearing I34 is interposed between the head I99 and the adjacent end of the bearing I3, and the head I99 is provided with gear teeth I35 on the outer or rear face thereof with which a pinion or driven gear I36 is adapted to mesh. The

gear I38 is fixed to a pumpshaft I31 which 'ex- P tendsupwardly through a bushing- I38 carried by the pump structure I91.

The space between the cylindrical member I I5 and the cylindrical member IOI constitutes an air intake chamber I39, and the cylindrical member I I3 is provided with an air intake duct I49 opening in the direction of the base III. The wall 89 of the head 2| is provided with a plurality of air intake ports I4I so that air from the chamber I39 may enter the interior of the casing I9 and pass through the openings into the cylinder 50.

The operation of the rotary internal combustion engine hereinbefore described is set forth in detail in my copending application Serial No. 161,190,

but will be briefly set forth herein. The rotary casing I9 comprises a combined flywheel and cylinder, and this casing I9 is initially given rotary movement to start its operation. As the casing I9 rotates about the shafts I2 and I8; the pairs of pistons 53 and 54 are reciprocated back and forth in the annular cylinder 50. This reciprocation of the pistons 53 and 54 is obtained by swinging of the eccentrically mounted connecting rod 68 under the action of the toggle link members I3 and I4. As the connecting rod 68 is swung r about the offset crank part II, the crosshead 61 which not only forms a pivotal connection between the toggle links I3 and I4 with the connecting rod 68, but also forms a connection between the swinging connecting rod 68 and the casing I 9 through engagementof the opposite ends of the crosshead member '61 in the radial guides 59 and III formed in the casing heads 29 and 2I, respectively. w I

With the rotation of the casing I9 the gear teeth I351will rotate the pump operating pinion or gear I36 soas to build up a pressure of fuel in the fuel chamber I021: During the greater portion of each complete revolution of the casing'I9, the injector operating pins I22 carried by each injector will slidably contact with the flat face 'of the adjustingcam. plate I I8. There is one cam lobe I2I or I2Ia for each pin I22 oral22a, and each cam lobe is provided with a circular portion of the plate II 9. There, is a separate lobe for each injector so that acharge of fuel will be injected into the compressed airbetween each pair of pistons '53 and '54. In the-present instancethe pistons 53 and Here doubleended pistons; and when a pair of these pistons are in compressing position; one endof one piston is closely adjacent the confronting end of its associated piston, whereas the opposite ends of the pistons are on the exhaust stroke. As the positions of the carriers 5! and 58 change under the expansion of the gases, the opposite ends of the pistons 53 and 54 move to a compression stroke. p I

Assuming that the pistons 53 and 54 are in the position shown in Fig. 3; a' diametrically opposed pair of injector pistons 95 will be forcedjinwardly by engagement of the cam lobes I2I and I 2 In, with the pins I22 and. I22'a,-respectively, so as to'unseatthe associated valve members 83 and permit the fuel to be discharged through the ports. 88 into the compressed, air which will immediately ignite the fuel andcause'the pistons 53 and 54 at their ends 53a. and 541;, respectively, to move apart on their powerstroke, while at the same time the opposite ends 53b and 54b will move toward each other on their compression stroke.

Due to the simultaneousreciprocation of the pistons53 and 54 and the rotation thereof with the casing I9, the ends 53a and 54a will have only one compression and one exhaust stroke for each revolution, and the same is true for the opposite ends 53b and 54b.

At low speed the cam plate I I9 is shifted to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 so that the outer ends of the fuel channels 96 of the plungers 95 will be disposed outwardly of the intake ports 94,-thus providing movement of the plungers 95 without causing an injection of fuel sufficient to unseat the valve 83. As a consequence part of the charge of fuel oil ahead of the plunger 95 isforced to back up or return to chamber I02 through port 94. This has the effect of not only delaying the fuel injection, but also of restricting the amount of fuel injected as a portion of the stroke of a plunger 95 is had without injection of fuel,

although the endwise movement of a plunger 95' scribed will positively inject measured quantities of fuel between the ends of the pairs of pistons which are on their compression stroke, and the quantity of fuel injected by the pistons or plungers 96 will provide a regulating means for regulating the speed of the engine.

The exhausted gases will discharge fromthe cylinder 50 through exhaust ports I42 which are formed'in the cylinder 50, and the exhaust gases will then enter a mufiier I43 carried by the casing [9 which is annular in side elevation and U-shaped in transverse section.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction of the hereinbefore described embodiment of this invention, such changes and modifications being limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

km a rotary internal combustion engine including a stationary crank shaft, a rotatable cylinder housing, pistons slidable in said housing, and means connecting said pistons with said crank shaft and said housing; fuel injection means for said housing comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart spring-pressed plungers carried by said housing, a plate slidable on said crank shaft, said plate having a recess communicating with the bore thereof, cam lobes carried by the side of said plate confronting said plungers, said crank shaft having a recess communicating with the recess of said plate, a plate operating rod slidable interiorly of said crank shaft, a key member carried by said rod engageable in the recess of said plate whereby to adjust said plate longitudinally of said crank shaft upon longitudinal adjustment of said key member, and an operating member for said rod.

2. In a fuel injector for rotary internal combustion engines, a stationary shaft, an annular rotatable cylinder carrier, a fuel injecting cylinder mounted on said cylinder carrier, a source of fuel supply in communication with said cylinder, a fuel injecting plunger disposed in said cylinder, a cam mechanism carried by said stationary shaft'adapted to engage said plunger and move it longitudinally of said cylinder, resilient means urging the plunger towards the cam mechanism, and means to adjust the cam mechanism axially of said plunger to control the movement of the plunger in the cylinder.

3. In a fuel injector for rotary internal combustion engines, a stationary shaft, an annular rotatable cylinder carrier, a fuel injecting casing mounted on said cylinder carrier, a source of fuel supply in communication with said cylinder, a fuel injecting plunger disposed in said casing for reciprocating motion, a cam plate having a cam element carried by said stationary shaft adapted to engage the plunger and move it in one direction in its casing, resilient means urging the plunger in the opposite direction towards said cam plate, means to cause relative rotative movement between the cam plate and the plunger and easing assembly to bring the cam element into operative contact with the plunger at spaced intervals, and means to adjust the cam plate axially of said plunger and casing to regulate the movement of the plunger in the casing.

4. In a fuel injector for rotary internal combustion engines, a shaft, a housing operatively associated therewith in concentric relation thereto, a fuel injecting cylinder carried by the housing, a. source of fuel supply communicating with said cylinder, a fuel injecting plunger carried by the housing, a source of fuel supply communicating with said cylinder for reciprocating movement, a cam plate carried by the shaft and keyed thereto, said cam plate having a lobe adapted to engage the plunger and move it in one direction in the cylinder, resilient means urging the plunger in the opposite direction towards said cam plate, means to cause relative rotative movement between the housing and shaft to bring the cam lobe into operative engagement with the plunger at spaced intervals, and means to adjust the cam plate axially of the shaft to regulate the movement of the plunger in the cylinder.

5. In a fuel injector for rotary internal combustion engines, a shaft, a housing operatively associated therewith in concentric relation thereto, a plurality of fuel injecting cylinders carried by said housing at points spaced radially from said shaft, a source of fuel supply communicating with the cylinders, a fuel injecting plunger disposed in each cylinder for reciprocating movement, a cam plate carried by the shaft and keyed thereto, said cam plate having a plurality of lobes spaced radially apart, each lobe adapted to engage one of the 'fuel injecting plungers to move it in one direction in its cylinder, resilient means urging each plunger in the opposite direction towards said cam plate, means to cause relative rotative movement between the shaft and housing to bring the cam lobes into operative engagement with the fuel injecting plungers, and means to adjust the cam plate axially of the shaft to regulate the movement of the plungers in their cylinders.

ERNEST J. SERPAS. 

